2 weeks Ago By Marc McGowan
Hawthorn are confident they will retain contracted defender Sam Frost despite opportunistic rivals circling the veteran as the Hawks prepare to welcome Tom Barrass and Josh Battle. Brokering a trade with West Coast for Barrass, who is contracted until 2027, and convincing Frost he remains part of Hawthorn’s plans are the biggest off-season tasks for Sam Mitchell’s side after a stunning return to September this year. Josh Battle will exercise his unrestricted free agency rights to be a Hawk next season.
Credit: AFL Photos But the Hawks are out of the running for their other free agency target, Greater Western Sydney’s Harry Perryman, two sources familiar with negotiations confirmed to this masthead on the condition of anonymity. They are in negotiations to re-sign unrestricted free agent wingman Harry Morrison, but Denver Grainger-Barras – the No.6 pick in the 2020 draft – faces a nervous wait through the trade period to discover his fate.
Loading Grainger-Barras survived the initial delistings, with Hawthorn parting ways with mid-season draftee ruckman Clay Tucker and ex-Cat Cooper Stephens, who crossed to the Hawks in the three-club deal that saw Tom Mitchell traded to Collingwood and Ollie Henry join his brother Jack at Geelong. Hawthorn soared from 16th to sixth in 2024, including winning a final, but again prioritised stiffening their defence after narrowly missing out on Ben McKay and Esava Ratugolea 12 months ago. Battle has already announced he will exercise his unrestricted free agency rights to leave St Kilda and sign with Hawthorn for the next six years, while Barrass has requested a trade and nominated the Hawks.
Barrass, who turns 29 next month, will receive a four-year deal with a trigger for a fifth season, a well-placed source confirmed to this masthead..
